The Conservative cabinet minister dropped into St Luke’s Church of England School, in Kidderpore Avenue, Hampstead, this afternoon to find out how the primary school has progressed since its opening in September 2011.

Having toured the school and enjoyed a choir performance from pupils, Mr Gove made some time for questions before heading away from Hampstead.

The Department for Education (DfE) chief was unsurprisingly well-briefed when quizzed on his department’s work in Camden but seemed equally unfazed when questioned unexpectedly on a historic Ham&High story.

Asked today if he was frustrated by his wife’s comments, Mr Gove told the Ham&High: “No. I love my wife - I think that she’s a fantastic journalist - and I love the Ham&High. I think it’s a fantastic newspaper.

“I love that question. I think it’s an example of journalistic artfulness of the highest degree but more than anything I love this school, which is doing a fantastic job.

“The most important thing which I hope your reporting will reflect is the wonderful job that this school does.”